Toecap reinforcement for shoes



Jan. 9, 1951 B. o. LONGNECKER 2,537,901

TOECAP REINFORCEMENT FOR SHOES Filed Feb. 16, 1949 f)? 1/6 H is o 2 fle Y bm/h O ongrzecker Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOECAP REINFORCEMENT FOR SHOES Benjamin 0. Longnecker, Fayetteville, N. Y. Application February 16, 1949, Serial No. 76,810

2 Claims.

My invention relates to metal toe boxes adapted to reinforce the toe cap of a shoe, and particularly to an improved form of toe box which is adapted to be positioned between the toe cap and the toe portion of the upper of a shoe and Which is characterized by offering greater and more nearly uniform resistance throughout to crushing loads applied thereto than the present type of box.

Metal toe boxes which are adapted to reinforce the toe cap of a shoe are, at the present time, formed from sheet steel or other metal of uniform thickness throughout. Since the transverse cross sectional shape of such a toe box is that of a thin arch varying in span, rise and flatness from maxima at the rear of the toe box to minima at the front thereof, and since the thickness of the material forming the present type of box is uniform throughout, the box ofiers much greater resistance to crushing loads at the front than at the rear thereof. On the other hand, a failure to withstand a crushing load at the rear of the box results in more serious injury to the wearer than a failure at the front because a greater proportion of the foot is more likely to be crushed. Thus, it is apparent that toe boxes of the present type are weakest where they should be strongest.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a metal toe box Which will offer much greater resistance to crushing at the rear thereof and a more nearl uniform resistance throughout to crushing than boxes of the present type. An other object is to provide a toe box having these improved characteristics without increasing the weight thereof to an objectionable degree.

I accomplish these objects by means of a toe box of the general character described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in Which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of my toe box with portions broken away and portions in sec tion; the material forming said box being shown to an exaggerated thickness;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation view of the same; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing my toe box positioned between the toe cap and the toe portion of the upper of a shoe.

Referring to the drawings, my toe box as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has the general shape in transverse cross-section of a flattened arch, the span and rise of said arch being a maximum at the rear portion, indicated generally at i, and decreasing to a minimum at the front portion, indicated generally at 2. The box is open at the rear and base (see Figs. 1 and 2), and the thickness of the material therein is a maximum at 3 in the rear portion l, and decreases to a minimum at 4 in the front portion 2. The thickness of the side Walls 5 at the rear portion I of the box is substantially the same as the thickness of the top 6 thereof and may be approximately three times the thickness of the side walls 1 and the top at the front of the box. For example, if the thickness of the material at I and the top of the box at the front is 0.025", th thickness of the material at 5 and 6 may be 0.075". Since the thickness of the present toe boxes is approximately 0.050 throughout, by making my toe box of the above mentioned thicknesses no objectionable increase in weight is engendered, yet the toe box will offer much greater resistance to crushing loads than do the present boxes.

The lower marginal edges of the box may be inturned, as shown at 9, so that it will seat firmly on the sole of a shoe; and these marginal edges may be thinner than the adjacent portions of the walls of which they are extensions.

My toe box is adapted to be positioned between the toe portion of the upper I0 and the toe cap I I of a shoe in the conventional manner, as shown in Fig. 3, and so positioned serves to protect the foot of the wearer from crushing loads applied thereto.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the words I have used are words of description rather than of limitation, and that changes within the purview of the appended claims may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. A toe cap reinforcement for shoes comprising a rigid unit formed of metal and of a size and shape adapted to be positioned between the toe cap and the toe portion of the upper of a shoe; the metal forming said unit being of substantially greater thickness throughout the zones at the rear of said unit, beginning at the rear edge thereof than in the zones at the front of said unit; whereby the resistance of said unit to crushing loads will be more nearly uniform throughout than would otherwise be the case if the metal forming said unit were of uniform thickness throughout.

2. A toe cap reinforcement for shoes comprising a rigid unit formed of metal and of a size and shape adapted to be positioned between the toe cap and the toe portion of the upper of a shoe; the metal forming said unit being of 3 4 substantially uniform thickness substantially throughout each transverse cross section there- REFERENCES CITED of but being of substantially greater thickness The following e e es are of record in the in the zones thereof, beginning at the rear edge file this p t thereof at the rear of said unit than in the zones UNITED STATES TENT 5 at the front thereof; whereby to provide greater resistance to crushing in those zones where said i ag i D g Date unit is widest than would otherwise be the case 2151554 5 3 1313 5 if the metal were of uniform thickness throughout. 10 2,328,601 Band Sept. 7, 1943 BENJAMIN O. LONGNECKER. 

